Don’t start taking your clothes off at the gym just yet.
Experts say dressing a little less when you work out can have big benefits for your body, but it’s not about showing off your curves, it’s about showing off your arches.
Maybe you’ve noticed that the person lifting weights next to you at the gym isn’t wearing shoes, or you’ve swiped past a fitness trainer doing barefoot squats on TikTok.
This isn’t just a post-lockdown habit of staying at home. Many podiatrists, trainers, and even orthopedic surgeons say there are benefits to training without shoes.
“Going barefoot has many benefits for balance, mobility, and coordination,” said Nick Clayton, personal training program manager for the National Strength and Conditioning Association. muscle and fitness.
“It provides feedback to your nervous system, activating your hips and core to improve stability. It also helps strengthen the deep muscles that stabilize your feet, leading to improvements in your ankles, knees, hips, and back. ”
So how does it work? And when should you ignore trends and lace up your shoes anyway?
stabilize the body
Having your feet in full contact with the ground (with socks in public, of course) can help stabilize you.
“Stimulating the nerves in your feet helps you better understand where you stand and how you step, which shapes your overall movement,” says functional podiatrist Emily. Mr. Splichal (DPM) said. shape.
It can manifest itself in different ways depending on the exercise.
“For example, squats may look and feel good with shoes on, but they may feel completely different without shoes. “We can assess what’s going on,” added Lacey Lazoff, a trainer at Performics House in New York City.
It could also mean being able to lift more weight.
“Being barefoot gives you much more core stability,” Splichal told Muscle & Fitness magazine. “The more stable your core is, the more weight you can move during your workout.”
Increased flexibility
This could be a boost if you’re looking for a better range of motion, perhaps as you get older, says Gregory Alvarez, a podiatrist at American Ankle and Foot Center.
“Going barefoot increases the range of motion in the foot and ankle joints, improving flexibility and mobility. This is especially helpful for women who want to increase their fluidity of movement during daily life and exercise,” he says. said. women’s health.
injury reduction
Alvarez added that training without shoes can also reduce the risk of ankle and foot problems.
“Barefoot training helps improve posture, reduce lower back pain, and increase overall movement efficiency by encouraging the body to make natural alignment adjustments through the feet,” he explained.
If you run without shoes, be sure to build up your tolerance over time. If you do too much too soon, you’re actually more likely to injure yourself.
“When you were born to run” [a book about barefoot running] said Gennady Kolodenkar, MD, DPM, a podiatrist at Hoag Orthopedic Institute in California. self.
He says stress fractures, plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis are among the most common injuries, but most occur because people gradually increase their strength without getting used to it.
Time to put your shoes back on
General strength training can be done barefoot, but if you’re lifting much more than your body weight, you’ll need to wear proper weightlifting shoes with hard soles.
“It’s easier to balance and more stable,” said Mark Rippetoe, a weightlifting coach and author of the book “Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training.” new york times.
Running barefoot outdoors also puts you at risk of stepping on things you shouldn’t, so wear shoes if you’re going around your neighborhood.
